Assignment Template Version 1.1

The California State University

Task Force on Expository Reading and Writing

EXPOSITORY READING AND WRITING COURSE

Gender Norms and the Role of the Extended Family

(Hispanic Healthy Marriage Initiative)

ELA 9th & 10th

READING RHETORICALLY

·  PREREADING
·  READING
·  POSTREADING
Prereading
·  Getting Ready to Read
·  Introducing Key Concepts
·  Surveying the Text
·  Making Predictions and Asking Questions
·  Introducing Key Vocabulary
9th/10th Grade ELA Standards: Writing Applications
2.1 Write autobiographical narratives
a.  Relate a sequence of events and communicate the significance of the events to the audience. /

Getting Ready to Read

Journal Topic: RAFT (Role, Audience, Format, Topic)
R (role): Desdemona for girls, Brabantio for boys
A (audience): For Desdemona—her father, Brabantio. For Brabantio—his daughter, Desdemona
F (format): letter
T (topic): Desdemona should explain to her father (Brabantio) how getting her college degree and then her own career will benefit her life. Brabantio should explain the reasons he has decided his daughter (Desdemona) should not pursue formal education or career options for herself.
9th/10th Grade ELA Standards:
Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
1.0 Students apply their knowledge of word origins to determine the meaning of new words encountered in reading materials and use those words accurately. /

Introducing Key Concepts

Lecture/ Cornell Notes:
Teacher will give a short lecture about several concepts tying Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello to the article on gender roles in traditional Hispanic cultures. Students will take Cornell Notes.
Ties to Othello:
Military Heroism and Machismo, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Roles of Women
Teacher will lead a class discussion about key terms discussed in the article, including a preview of the connotative meanings of each term.
Key Terms:
Gender, Role, Masculine, Feminine, Traditional, Progressive, Acculturation

Assignment Template Version 1.1

9th/10th Grade ELA Standard: Reading Comprehension
2.1 Analyze the structure and format of functional workplace documents, including the graphics and headers, and explain how authors use the features to achieve their purposes. /

Surveying the Text

As a class, teacher will lead students through the following questions: (Students will indicate answers on the article.)
1.  Who is (are) the author(s)?
2.  Where and when was the report written?
3.  What are some of the report’s organizational sign-posts?
4.  What will each section be about?
5.  Were any other references used to create the report?
9th/10th Grade ELA Standard: Reading Comprehension
2.1 Analyze the structure and format of functional workplace documents, including the graphics and headers, and explain how authors use the features to achieve their purposes.
2.3 Generate relevant questions about readings on issues that can be researched. /

Making Predictions and Asking Questions

Venn Diagram Teams:
The class will divide into two groups: boys and girls.
Each group will be given a poster board featuring a Venn Diagram with “Male” and “Female” labels.
Each group will be handed a list of tasks/chores/responsibilities. As a team, they will have 7 or 8 minutes to write each item on the list in what they feel is the appropriate section of the Venn Diagram: Male’s job, Female’s job, Shared job.
After the timer goes off, teams will be given a few minutes to analyze their Venn Diagram. One student (recorder) will write a summary of the information they’re sorted on the back of the poster.
Teams will present their Venn Diagrams to each other. Teacher will allow for occasional editorial explanations.
Individual Responses:
Students will return to their individual desks and write a reflection on the activity, noting what they expected to hear and what information was shared that surprised them.
Teacher will then ask students to make a prediction about what kinds of questions might be addressed in the report. Students will write a minimum of three questions.
Example of Question:
“What responsibilities are assigned to young girls in traditional Hispanic cultures?”
9th/10th Grade ELA Standards:
Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
1.0 Students apply their knowledge of word origins to determine the meaning of new words encountered in reading materials and use those words accurately.
1.1 Identify and use the literal and figurative meanings of words and understand word derivations.
1.2. Distinguish between the denotative and connotative meanings of words and interpret the connotative power of words.
1.3 Identify Greek, Roman, and Norse mythology and use the knowledge to understand the origin and meaning of new words. /

Introducing Key Vocabulary

Cognitive Dictionary
Students will be given a two-sided chart labeled Cognitive Dictionary along with the following terms:
1.  Subservient (pg 3)
2.  Domain (pg 4)
3.  Sever (pg 5)
4.  Facilitator (pg 6)
5.  Negotiating (pg 7)
6.  Correlated (pg 3)
7.  Facet (pg 4)
8.  Integral (pg 4)
9.  Resonate (pg 6)
10.  Deconstruct (pg 5)
11.  Machismo/marianismo (throughout)
12.  Community/familismo (throughout)
In pair-share partners, students will fill in the box labeled “Predicted Meaning” for each of the 12 terms assigned.
For homework, students will look up the “Actual Meaning” and fill in the box on the chart.
Next, students will provide a rough “Sketch” or pictorial representation for the meaning of the term, using mnemonics, connotation and denotation, and other devices for memory.
Before the First Reading, teacher will make sure students have a working understanding of Machismo, Marianismo, and Familismo.

Reading

·  First Reading
·  Looking Closely at Language
·  Rereading the Text
·  Analyzing Stylistic Choices
·  Considering the Structure of the Text
9th/10th Grade ELA Standard: Reading Comprehension
2.1 Analyze the structure and format of functional workplace documents, including the graphics and headers, and explain how authors use the features to achieve their purposes.
9th/10th Grade ELA Standard: Reading Comprehension
2.7 Critique the logic of functional documents by examining the sequence of information and procedures in anticipation of possible reader misunderstandings. /

First Reading

Before the first read-through, teacher will stress the importance of knowing WHO has written the text and WHY (author and purpose). Particularly for this text, it’s important that students understand this is not an “article” or “opinion essay,” but rather a document created by a select group with an explicit purpose in mind.
Before reading the text, teacher will explain that students will create a GIST paragraph for every main section of the document (of which there are 3). Students will draw a box on the back of their text containing the 5 steps for creating a summarizing paragraph known as a GIST (Generating Interactions between Schemata and a Text.)
GIST
1.  Read the text.
2.  Underline/Circle/Highlight key words and phrases.
3.  Set the text aside.
4.  Use the highlighted words to create summary sentences.
5.  Add a topic sentence.
Teacher will emphasize that a GIST paragraph demonstrates the student’s understanding of the text in his/her own language; therefore, students should not overly rely on the text itself for the creation of the summary.
9th/10th Grade ELA Standards:
Word Analysis, Fluency, and Systematic Vocabulary Development
1.0 Students apply their knowledge of word origins to determine the meaning of new words encountered in reading materials and use those words accurately.
1.1 Identify and use the literal and figurative meanings of words and understand word derivations.
1.2. Distinguish between the denotative and connotative meanings of words and interpret the connotative power of words. /

Looking Closely at Language

Teacher will have students write down Six Guiding Questions on the front of their text to focus their initial reading. The Guiding Questions should foster oral discussion when answers arise in the reading and should lead students to key terms that will be used in creating the GIST paragraphs.
Guiding Questions:
1.  What are Gender Roles?
2.  What is the primary Role of Women in the Hispanic tradition? What are some of the limitations of this role?
3.  What is the primary Role of Men in the Hispanic tradition? Limitations?
4.  Why does Acculturation tend to happen more slowly for women?
5.  How does Familismo affect a couple’s relationship?
6.  How might a facilitator approach a Hispanic couple so that they would be persuaded to join the program?
Students will be encouraged to mark any areas of confusion or frustration and to write any comments in the margins to be called upon during oral discussion time.
During the first reading, students will highlight the terms from their vocabulary list. Teacher will lead discussions about various connotative and denotative meanings about the terms and about how the words are used in the context of the document.
Prerequisite 7th Grade ELA Standard: Writing Strategies
1.3 Use strategies of note taking, outlining, and summarizing to impose structure on composition drafts.
9th/10th Grade ELA Standard: Reading Comprehension
2.7 Critique the logic of functional documents by examining the sequence of information and procedures in anticipation of possible reader misunderstandings. /

Rereading the Text

In the second read-through, students should record their reactions to the information presented in the text by writing ideas in the right-hand margins. Teacher will pause after each paragraph or so and ask for student feedback—questions, comments, concerns that may have arisen. (This is an opportunity for students to express opinions and or to challenge the validity of the document. They may find certain sides of an issue have been omitted, or they may recognize that the findings are based on stereotypical assumptions about the Hispanic community. Perhaps the findings are too close to home or do not represent their own experiences at all.)
This sharing time is important—when it is time to create the GIST paragraphs, students will ONLY use the information in the text and may not include personal reactions/responses to the literature. When students are analyzing the logic and structure of the document, it may be helpful for the teacher to call attention to the process by saying, “Time to put on your scientist hats.” This alerts students to the idea that their personal feelings about the content must be set aside at this point.
9th/10th Grade ELA Standard: Literary Response and Analysis
3.11 Evaluate the aesthetic qualities of style, including the impact of diction and figurative language on tone, mood, and theme, using the terminology of literary criticism. /

Analyzing Stylistic Choices

During subsequent read-throughs, students will identify the tone and mood of the document and support their assessment with concrete reasons, e.g.:
“The tone of the document is scientific and removed because the authors do not address the audience directly, they include information based on studies and research, and they do not employ overt methods of logical or emotional appeal.”
Students will be instructed to be alert for repetitions as well as their emotional reactions to the reading.
Students may be challenged, then, to locate any instances of figurative language which would be unusual for this type of document.
9th/10th Grade ELA Standard: Reading Comprehension 2.1
Analyze the structure and format of functional workplace documents, including the graphics and headers, and explain how authors use the features to achieve their purposes.
9th/10th Grade ELA Standard: Reading Comprehension 2.7
Critique the logic of functional documents by examining the sequence of information and procedures in anticipation of possible reader misunderstandings. /

Considering the Structure of the Text

As they read, students are guided to consider a text’s main methods of organization, including headings, sub-headings, graphics, spacing, text font, etc. They should note sentence structure and variation and be able to tell what effect the structure has on the tone of the document. Students should also rate the readability of the text: Is it easy to understand? Does is flow like a conversation? Or does the text sound scientific and logical?
Students will find the report is divided into four parts: an introduction, and three sections labeled, “What We Know,” “What We Still Need to Know,” and “What Should We Do With What We Know?” respectively. Each section is further divided into sub-sections labeled, “Gender Roles” and “Extended Family.”
Using the titles of these sections, students will work in partners to determine the purposes of each of the major sections of the text. For example, the final section, “What Should We Do With What We Know?” is divided into sub-sections called “General Recommendations” and “Recommendations for Hispanic Populations.” Students should be able to identify from these labels that the intended audience in not the general population but a very specialized professional group of trained employees.
*Note: While piloting this module, it became essential to reiterate to students that this text is intended for a specific audience; when some of the content became controversial, they were directed to re-name the purpose, audience, and genre. Still, some sophomores were unable to remove their personal responses to the text so that their analyses were skewed.

Post-reading Activities

·  Summarizing and Responding
·  Thinking Critically
Prerequisite 7th Grade ELA Standard: Writing Application 2.5
Write summaries of reading materials, including main ideas and most significant details. Use own words. Reflect-explain underlying meaning.
9th/10th Grade ELA Standard: Writing Application 2.2a
Demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of significant ideas in literary works.
9th/10th Grade ELA Standard: Writing Application 2.3b
Convey information and ideas from primary and secondary sources accurately and coherently. /

Summarizing and Responding

Students will create three GIST summary paragraphs for this text, using the three main sections of the reading. The first GIST is created as a whole class, the second GIST is done in pairs, and the final GIST is developed independently.
Group GIST: For the section titled “What We Know,” students re-read the text aloud as the teacher guided them to highlight (circle, underline, star, etc) various terms and concepts. The teacher then directed students to create a list on another sheet of paper of just those highlighted terms. We set the original text aside. Then, we used those key terms to develop simple, summarized sentences. We then added a topic sentence to our paragraph.
Paired GIST: Students were assigned a partner. Using the second section titled “What We Still Need To Know,” the pairs went through the same steps as the group GIST to develop a summary paragraph.
Independent GIST: Students were assigned a summary GIST paragraph to complete for the remaining section called “What Should We Do With What We Know?” for homework.
Again, it’s important to keep students attentive to the purpose, audience, and genre of this particular text. The GIST activity was one way the teacher was able to avoid impassioned debates over the content of the article at this stage of the analysis.
9th/10th Grade ELA Standard: Reading Comprehension 2.8
·  Evaluate the credibility of an author’s argument or defense of a claim by critiquing the relationship between generalizations and evidence, the comprehensiveness of evidence, and the way in which the author’s intent affects the structure and tone of the text. /

Thinking Critically